x h hoisting device



1,642,383 pt. 13, 7- J. OWEN 1 HQISTING DEVICE Filed Oct 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 In I " V I. a:

a H g (Q/#2:.

Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GWEN, F INEW'ARK, NEW' JERSEY.

HOISTING DEVICE.

Application filed October 22, 1926. Serial No. 143,316.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in hoisting devices of the block and fall type; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to an automatically operating lock or brake mechanism for gripping and holding the hoisting rope as it runs through the pulley-block of the device, so as to hold the weight suspended when hauling on the pulling course of the rope is interrupted, or to hold the hoisted weight at any desired elevation.

The invention has for its principal objectto provide a compact and simply construct ed self-locking pulley-block for hoisting tackle, having a novel arrangement cl brakeblock adapted to be actuated by gravitation of the weight being hoisted, in combination with a novel brake-releasing control actuated by the pulling course of the hoist rope,

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the objects of this invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel 1 construction of self-locking pulley-block tor hoisting tackle hereinafter set forth, and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the several novel arrangen'ients and combina- 80 tions of the various devices and parts, well as in the details of the construction thereof, all of-whic h will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the appended 86 claims. 7

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the self-locking pulley block of this invention, taken on line 11 in Figure 4; Figure 2 is :1 Vertical sectional view of the same, taken on line 2-2 in Figure 4, with the coupling link of the device shown in' dotted outline, but showing the adjacent pulley in elevation and the brake-block releasing lever in part elevation and in part section; Figure is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2, with the coupling link shown in full lines, but with the brake-block moved to released position; Figured: is an'end elevation of the self-locking pulley-block; Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line 5-5 in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a 'detached perspective view of a coupling means for engaging the hoist rope with the brakeblock; and Figure 7 is a detached perspective view of the brake-block.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovc described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 10 indicates a pair of side wall i'i'ieirnbers to form the frame-work or pulley-block housing. Extending between the end portions of said side ,wall members 10 a cross-bar member, thesame being longitudinally divided to provide matching halt-portions 11 and 12 provided at their ends with rivet studs 13 of reduced diameter. Formed in the meeting; faces of said halt-portions 11 and 12 are cooperating socket portions 14 to receive the swiveling stud 15 of a suspension hook 16 which projects upwardly from said cross-bar member. Said half-portions 11 and 12 are secured together in embracing relation to the swiveling stud 15 by transverse rivet means 17. The rivet studs 13 at the ends of the thus constructed cross-bar member extend respectively through the respective side wall members 10, with their tree external ends riveted or headed over, as indicated at 18.

Secured to the side-wall members 10, to extend transversely between the same in a proper location, is a pulley shaft 19, upon which are mounted in side by side relation, for free rotation thereon, the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21, over which run courses of the hoist-rope 22. It will be understood that the usual bottom or fall pulley member or tackle block (which is not shown) is employed to ride on the depending courses of said hoist rope 22.

Opposed to but spaced outwardly from the inner faces of said pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21is a thrust-plate or end wall member 23. This thrust-plate or end wall member 23 is inclined downwardly and inwardly relative to the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21, and the same is fixed to extend transversely between the side-wall members 10 of the frame-work or housing.

Any suitable means for securing said thrustplate or end wall member 23 in place may be employed, as shown in the drawings, however, there is provided a pair of transversely extending bolts 2% which are suitably secured to said side-wall members 10 in vertically spaced apart relation, and said thrust-plate or end wall member 23 is pro vided with suitably disposed rearwardly projecting bifurcated lugs or cars 25 which engage over said bolts 21, thus both supporting and backing said thrust-plate or end wall member 23 against displacement from operative assembled relation to the frame work or housing and its pulley-wheels or sheaves.

Mounted for vertical movements between said inclined thrust-plate or end wall mem ber 23 and the pulley-wl'ieels or sheaves 20 and 21, is a generally wedge-shaped brakeblock. This brake-block preferably comprises a back-wall 26 to-engage the inner face of said thrust-plate or end wall member 23, a front wall member 27 opposed to the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21, and side walls 28 inter-connecting said back and front wall members, thus forn'iing a brake block of open ended hollow formation. Said front wall member 27 is provided at its outer face with vertical grooves or channels 29 to fit the same for intimate engagement with the courses of the hoist rope 22 running over the respective pulley wheels or sheaves 20 and 21. One of the side walls 28 is provided with an upwardly projecting extension 28', from the extremity of which extends an inwardly and laterally projecting lift-stud 30.

Said brake-block is provided with a separable coupling means for engaging therewith the iixed end of the hoist-rope 22. Said separable coupling means comprises a link 31 having at its upper extremity a substantially T-shaped head 32 and at its lower end an eye-loop 33 with which the fixed end of the hoist rope 22 is engaged and securely fastened in any suitable manner. The 1101- low interior of the brake-block is provided with means to receive coupling engagement of the head 32 of said link 31, such means consisting in a pair of opposed inwardly projecting seating-shoulders 34:, respectively formed in connection with the inner sides of said back and front wall members 26 and 27, and disposed at one side of said hollow interior of the brake-block. Said seatingshoulders 34: are bounded at their inward sides by vertical keeper ribs 35, also respectively formed in connection with the inner sides of said back and front wall members 26 and 27. To engage the coupling means in operative connected relation to said brake-block, the link 31, with its head turned sidewise, thrust upwardly through the lower end of the brake-block, so as to pass the T-head 32 upwardly between and above said seatingshoulders 34, whereupon the link is given a quarter turn and then lowered to seat the ends of said T-head 32 upon said seatingshoulders 34:, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The side wall of said brake-block which is adjacent to the assembled link 31 is cut away, as at 36, to expose a substantially ver tical guide slot 37 which is formed in the adjacent side wall member 10 of the frame-- work or housing of the device. integrally formed in connection with the link 31 is a laterally projecting tongue 38. then the link is turned to seat the head on the seatingshoulders 34, said tongue 38 is directed through the cut away portion 36 and then engaged through the guide slot 37 for vertical movement therein as the brake-block shifts. The interengagementof the link 31 with the side-wall member 10, by means of the above-described tongue and guide slot arrangement, assures the proper disposition of the link at all times, and prevents displacements of the T-head 32 thereof from the seating-shoulders 3l of the brake-block, so that the pull of the link relative to the latter is equally distributed upon both seating-shoulders, and consequently a firm and direct downward pull on the brake-block is assured to the end that smooth operation is attained.

Pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum pin 39, which is secured to and extends transversely between the side-wall members 10 of the frame-work or housing and above the pulley wheels or sheaves, is a brake-block releasing lever 40. Said releasing lever to is provided at its inner end with a hook-portion all which engages with and beneath the liftstud 30 of the brake-block. The outer portion of said releasing lever is provided with an elongated opening 4C2 through which ex tends, from the pulley wheel or sheave 21, the free end 'or hauling course 22 of the hoist rope The extremity of said outer portion of the releasing lever 40 is preferably made U-shape in cross-section so as to operatively retain said hauling course 22 of the'hoist rope in engagement therewith.

The arrangement of the hoist rope 22 is as follows: The fixed end thereof which is attached to the couplinglink 31, is coupled by means of the latter in operative relation to the brake-block. From the brake-block the hoist rope runs troy-inwardly to and over apulley of the lower tackle-block, and thence upwardly to and over the )ulley-wheel or sheave 20 of the self-locking hoist pulley, then again downwardly to and over another pulley of the lower tackle-block, and again upwardly to and over the pulley-wheel or sheave 21, the free end portion 22 thence passing through and in engagement with the releasing lever -l0.

In operation, the weight to be hoisted being suitably connected with the lower tackleblock, theoperator hauls downwardly upon thehauling course 22 of the hoist rope. The downward hauling movement of the hauling course 22 of the hoist rope exerts pressure on theouter extremity of the releasing lever 40 tending to swing downward the outer portion thereof and upward the inner portion thereof. The upward movement thus imarted to the inner portion of the releasing ever 40 is transmitted through the hook and lift stud connections 41 and to the brakeblock, so that the latter is shifted upward, thereby releasing the same from braking relation to the courses of the hoist ropcpassing over the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21, and thus freeing the same for operative movement, all of which will be readily understood from an inspection of Figur 3 more especially. In the event pulling upon the hauling course 22 of the hoist rope 22 should be relaxed or interrupted, or it should be desiredto hold the weight being raised suspended at a, desired elevation, or in event the hauling course 22 of the hoist rope should escape from control,the weight being raised would immediately tend to gravitate, and would thereupon exert a downwardly pulling force on the fixed end of the hoist rope 22, which would be at once transmitted by the coupling link 31 to the brake-block.

I Undersuch circumstances the brake'block would be shifted downward, and, owing to the downward and inward inclination of the thrust-plate or end wall member 23 against which it rides and thrusts, in combination with wedge-she ed form of said brake-block,

the same would e caused to forcefully wedge itself against the courses of the hoist rope 22passing over the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21, and would thereby strongly grip and .frictionally bind the hoist-rope against movement, and consequently the hoist-block would be selflocked against operation, and downward movement of the weight being raised would be effectively restrained. It will be apparent also that the greater the downward pulling strain upon the fixed end of the hoist rope, the tighter and more strongly will the brake-block be thrust into operative locking relation to those portions of the hoist rope passing over the pulleywheels or sheaves 20 and 21.

It will also be understood, that when it is desired to lower a weight suspended from the tackle, all that is necessary to do is to pull downwardly upon the hauling course 22 sufficiently to actuate the releasing lever 40 for releasing the brake-block, and thereupon, although holding said hauling course under slight restraint nevertheless allowing the same to slip through the hands so that the hoist rope will travel unrestrainedly over the pulley-wheels or sheaves 20 and 21.

Owing to the downwardly and inwardly inclined arrangement of the thrust-plate or end-wall member 23 against which the brakeblock receives its thrusting purchase, not only will a Very quick and powerful lateral braking thrust be imparted to the brakeblock in operation, but also a very sensitive 1' quick release is obtainable by a slight upward shifting movement of said brake-block under the lift of the releasing lever.

From the above description it will be quite apparent that the novel form of self-locking hoist-block is very compact and simple in the arrangement, relation and construction of its parts, and at the same time the construction thereof provides very strong and durable mechanism, the parts of which are not easily subject to disarrangement either in use, or when carrying the hoist-block about from place to place.

It will. be obvious that somechanges may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts making up the invention above described without departing from its spirit. (irenerally speaking, therefore, I desire to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodin'ient of the in\ nation except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A self-locking hoist block, coi'nprising a housing, sheaves in said housing, a hoistrope to move over said sheaves, a downwardly and inwardly inclined stationary thrust-plate transversely fixed in said housing and opposed to said sheaves, a brake-block vertically movable between said tl'irust-plate and the courses of said hoist rope moving over said sheaves, the fixed end of said hoist rope being connected to said brake-block, and a pivoted releasing lever having its inner end engaged with said brake-block, the free haul-- ing course of said hoist rope cooperating with the outer end of said lever.

A self-locking hoist block, comprising a housing, sheaves in said housing, a hoist rope to move over said sheaves, a downwardly and inwardly inclined thrust-plate transversely fixed in said housing and opposed to said sheaves, a brake-block vertically movable between said thrust-plate and the courses of said hoist rope moving over said sheaves, a detachable coupling link for operatively connecting the fixed end of said hoist rope to said brake-block, and a pivoted releasing lever, cooperative means between the inner portion of said lever and said brake-block for operatively engaging the former with the latter, the outer portion of said lever having means engageable by the free hauling course of said hoist rope whereby said lever is controlled by the latter.

3. A self-locking hoist-block, comprising a housing, sheaves in said housing, a hoist rope to move over said sheaves, a downwardly and inwardly inclined thrust-plate transversely fixed in said housing and opposed to said sheaves, an interiorly chambered brake-block vertically movable between said thrust-plate and the courses of said hoist rope moving over said sheaves, said brake-block having within its interior opposed seating shoulders, a separable coupling link for operatively connecting the fixed end of said hoist rope to said brake-block, said coupling link having a T-head at its upper end to seat upon said seating shoulders so as to dispose said link in dependingrelation to said brake block and at its lower end an eye-portion engageable by said hoist rope, and apivoted releasing lever having its in ner end engaged with the upper portion of said brake-block, the free hauiing course of said hoist rope cooperating with the outer end of said lever.

4. ii self-locking hoist-block as defined by claim 3, in which a side wall of the housing is provided with a substantially vertical guide-slot adjacent to the path of inoveinen of said brake-block and its coupling ii and said coupling link having a laterally projecting tongue entered through and vertically movable in said guide slot,

5. A self-locking hoist block, comprising a housing, sheaves in said housing, a hoist rope to move over said sheaves, a downwardly and inwardlly inclined thrust-plate transversely fixed in said housing and op posed to said sheaves, a brake-block verti cally movable between said thrust-plate and the courses of said hoist rope moving over said sheaves, the fiXed end of said hoist rope being connected to said brakeblock, said brake-block having at its upper portion an upward extension provided with a laterally projecting lit't stud, a pivoted releasing lever, said lever having at its inner end a hook portion engaged with and beneath said lift stud, and the outer portion of said lever havmeans engageable by the tree hauling course of said hoist rope whereby said lever is controlled by the latter.

6. A self-locking hoist-block, comprising a housing, sheaves in said housing, a hoist rope to move over said sheaves, a downwz'zrdly and inwardly inclined thrust plate transversely fixed in said housing and opposed to said shrnves, an interiorly chambered brake-block vertically movable between said thrust-plate and the courses of said hoist rope moving over said sheaves, said brake-block having within its interior opposed seating'shoulders, a separable coupling link operatively connecting the fixed end of said hoist rope to raid brake-block, said coupling link having a t its upper end to seat upon said Hoist rope whereby said lever is controlled the latter.

1. A 1"-locking hoist block as defined in claim (3, in which a side wall of the housing is provided with a substantially vertical uide-slot adjacent to the path of movement ot' said brake-block and its coupling link, and said coupling link having a laterally projecting tongue entered through and vertically movable in said guide slot.

Ln testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of October, 1926.

JOSEPH OWEN. 

